Uganda Sets General Election Date for January 2026 as Electoral Process Moves Ahead

KAMPALA — Uganda's Electoral Commission (EC) has set January 12, 2026, as the date for the country's next general elections, which will see voters choose their President and Members of Parliament. This date, part of the EC's revised roadmap for the 2025/2026 polls, marks the culmination of an electoral process that has already seen several key activities, including candidate nominations.

The general election is anticipated to be another high-stakes contest, with the incumbent, President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), who has been in power since 1986, seeking re-election. His main challenger is widely expected to be pop star-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, the leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), who was cleared to run by the Electoral Commission in September 2025.

Key Milestones in the Electoral Roadmap:

The announcement of the final voting date follows the completion of several preparatory phases:

• Presidential Nominations: Presidential candidates, including both Museveni and Wine, were formally nominated in late September 2025.

• Parliamentary Nominations: The EC appointed October 22nd and 23rd, 2025, as the dates for the nomination of candidates for the Parliamentary Elections.

• Local Government Nominations: Nominations for Local Government Councils were conducted in September 2025.Campaign Period: The official campaign period for the general elections is set to begin in the second week of October 2025, running up to the polling date.

The Electoral Commission, led by Justice Simon Byabakama, has continued to issue updates and revisions to the electoral calendar, emphasizing the process leading up to the January 2026 polls. The electoral body is also managing the elections for Special Interest Groups (SIGs), which include representatives for youth, persons with disabilities, and older persons.

The forthcoming general election will determine the country's leadership for the next term and comes at a time of heightened political activity and international scrutiny over Uganda's democratic process.